Updating: Consistency Can be Key

By KJ

Introduction
Updating can be key to survival of a site. Studies show that if you update your website on a consistent basis, readers are more likely to check back.

Now when I say consistent, that doesn't necessarily mean you need to update your site every day or even every week. Heck, we all have busy schedules -- I know I do! If updating monthly is all you can handle, go for it.

Make a plan and stick to it
Start out by making a plan for how often you'll update. Plan to add new material, say, every Tuesday, or the first Tuesday of every month -- whatever works for you.

Make the plan a little lenient, at least at the start. There's no shame in starting out with a small commitment. It's better to start out with a small commitement that you can easily keep, than it is to have a large one that you are likely to fall behind in.

Remember, when you post something on your website, it's not carved in stone. You can always go back and revise, and/or add additional material later, if need be.

Work Ahead
If you already have enough content for your next update, work ahead. I try to work ahead with StarWarsSelect.com whenever possible, because sometimes every once in a while there's one of those unexpected occurences that force me to put the site on the back burner. In times like those, I'm grateful if I've worked ahead.

Final Note
Try to keep the links you have on your site current. One of my pet peeves is seeing broken links, and I know the majority of web surfers share similar sentiments.